


Hate This Place

by IWillBeTheEndofYou



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: F/M, Gen, Magical Twins, Never Mind All That, OFC - Freeform, alternative universe, not a super romance, not everyone can carry on, someone save me from my keyboard, the aftermath of Weirdmageddon, the author is extremely apologetic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-09-28
Updated: 2017-12-26
Packaged: 2019-01-06 15:28:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 20,714
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12213654
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/IWillBeTheEndofYou/pseuds/IWillBeTheEndofYou
Summary: Rainy Day lived quietly in Gravity Falls, until the events of Weirdmageddon. The aftermath has left her broken, frightened, scarred, and most importantly--untwinned. There has to be a way to get her sister back, even if it means making alliances with evil.





	1. Not Your Fault

**Author's Note:**

> My husband made me watch this show. You can blame this all on him! No really, you can. I'll link his Tumblr, send him some hate mail.
> 
> Or me! (Please no. It makes me sad.)
> 
> Find me at: http://brokenheartagram.tumblr.com/

I dream of triangles. Not in the way that geometry frightens more school children. Not one of those nightmares where I can't answer the test question, or where I'm standing in naked before a classroom of laughing children.

No, I dream of triangles with one eye. I dream of liquid red skies, and fire raining down onto me. I dream of my family and friends being turned into stone. I wake in a cold sweat, with my heart thudding inside my chest. My sheets stick to me, and I clutch at a blanket, my eyes peering into the calm stillness of my small town.

The streets are quiet. The very air is hushed, the smell of pine trees waft through my window that I've never been able to sleep with closed. I am safe. I am secure. 

I am alone.

I begged to be allowed to move after everything that happened that day. I pleaded with my parents. Throw whatever we had left into the car, drive out of this hell hole of a town. Away from the Mystery Shack, away from anyone with the name of Pines. Away from a certain headstone, still smooth and shining, the engraving crisp. A headstone I had also plead not to put up.

They refused to leave. Said our roots were here, Told me 'Never Mind All That!', a phrase spouted anytime anyone mentioned those events. Whenever one of us asked about it, whenever someone reminded another of those events, the phrase was chanted.

I wasn't the only one with the idea of leaving. A few people wanted to never mind things so much, they didn't want to see it anymore. There were a lot of empty homes left in Gravity Falls. There were a lot of empty seats in school. There was a lot of emptiness in Gravity Falls, even if we didn't want to speak about it.

My parents wouldn't leave. They told me that it was nothing to be afraid of it. It was over. We could live in peace now. Don't think about it. Never mind, keep calm and carry on. 

But I couldn't keep calm, and I couldn't carry on. 

Not when I awoke and reached out into the empty space next to me. Not when, every day, I turned to speak to someone who wasn't there. Half of me was missing. I walked around feeling lopsided, searching in corners and shadows for something that wasn't there. I strained my ears in crowds, listening for a voice that wasn't coming. 

I reached out into the space beside of me for a hand that wasn't coming.

My sister was gone. 

It wasn't a unique story. Someone was there before, then that day happened. And they were gone. Everyone in Gravity Falls had lost someone or another during those events. Were they crumbled when they turned to stone? Killed? Eaten?

We'd never know for sure, really.

Much of the emptiness here could be filled by some of the new stones in the cemetery. 

My sister, of course, was more than just a sibling.

She was my twin.

I dream of triangles. I dream of hell fire. I dream of cracks in the sky. I dream of people made of stone. And so frequently, I dream of my sister.


	2. The Sound of Me Wearing Thin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rainy heads out to the Shack for some answers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for really not sending me hate mail, guys!

There was nowhere to go for answers. The police force couldn't tell me anything. All my hours tapping away at my laptop yielded nothing. Maybe a few bits and pieces of lore here and there. A few warnings on Armageddon, the Apocalypse. But nothing solid. Nothing that would lead me back to my sister.

I even looked up spells and prayers for finding lost items and people. But Saint Anthony remained silent. Mother Mary didn't bring my sister back to me. My knees ached, and my shoulders burned from kneeling with my hands clasped for so long. I should have known better. A saint would have better sense than to help anyone from Gravity Falls.

I tried a ball of amber dangling from a silver chain. It was supposed to swing in the direction of my sister. But it remained still at the end of the chain. And none of the incantations for the Goddess lead her to me. Maybe I should have been looking up spells to raise the dead, but I thought that would lead me to places I didn't want to go.

She wasn't dead, anyway. I'd know if my sister was dead. She was my twin. She was the one who had been with me since before we knew that we were human. I'm certain that   
in the womb, I reached out for her. I know that our little nubby fetus hands must have twisted together. I must have heard her heartbeat at the same time we listened to our mother's.

The leaves had grown back on the trees. Nearly a year had passed since the Unpleasant Events. School was going to be out soon. I couldn't wait. Not so I could sleep in and spend endless hazy days down by the pool, or walking across town, licking at a popsicle. Not so I could go to the dim coolness of our library and browse the weathered pages for hours.

No, summer meant freedom, and freedom meant the chance to slip away from my parents and go to the Mystery Shack. If there were no answers anywhere else in my grasp, I knew there had to be some there. It was the one place in all of town that hadn't been affected by the demons and monsters. 

People from Gravity Falls very rarely found themselves at the Shack. It was good for a laugh or two when you were a little kid. Something slightly overpriced used to break up a too long vacation, or a place where weekend dads took their kids so the didn't have to interact with them too long. A place where tourists went to gaze, glassy eyed, at the fake wonders of a world that didn't feel like it existed anymore.

But more importantly, the older set of Pines twins resided there. At least, last I checked they did. To be fair, I hadn't kept up on them. I was sure the farther away I stayed from anyone named Pines, the safer I was. After all, nothing bad seemed to happen in my sleepy little town before Dipper and Mabel showed up.  
There had to be some answers at the Shack. And I was going to find them.

***

The bus rode through the mist. I used to love this sort of weather, damp and cool. There was something mysterious about it, even though our mother always complained that it caused mildew. And it was true that for months at a time, the whole town smelled damp. It was no wonder seasonal depression was so rampant in this part of the country.

I let my head rest against the glass, watching the trees rushing past us. Summer was late coming this year, the weather man said. There were moans and groans, grumbles from the people who grew their own produce. Set everything back, they said. Made them spend the rest of the year playing catch up and fighting the elements. 

I preferred the cool, the wet, the dark. I liked to say it all set up like an old English Gothic story, or even a new mystery. I liked to think that the wet and cool was nourishing the ground, rather than drying it out and wringing everything from it like the sun so often did. I bit my lip, feeling the road grow bumpy. We were getting closer.

The nearest stop was still a quarter mile away. But even that far, the totem pool loomed ominously, and the path was well worn. It shouldn't have taken me long, but of course the clouds decided to open then. Rain came pouring down, pattering on the leaves before sifting onto my head. Of course I had no hood on my shirt, and no hat.

I was soaking by the time I walked to the Shack. Tourist season hadn't geared up yet. The kids hadn't wandered out, bored by their own freedom during summer. I shivered as a cool wind kicked up, blowing the wet ends of my hair against my cheek. 

The 'Open' sign was displayed. I crossed my arms and squished my way across the mud and gravel. The door opened easily, and I almost tripped into a shadowy room. The glass gleamed, the taxidermy was dusted. The freezer hummed, full of confections that would melt and be sticky on someone with small fingers.

“Hello! Welcome to the Mystery Shack!” a perky blonde beamed at me from behind the counter. I stepped towards her, away from the puddle I was creating. A low growl of thunder came from outside.  
“We can do a tour, if you'd like--?”

“I need to talk to one of the Pines'.” I cut her off, then felt myself blushing. I wasn't usually so forward or rude.  
“Please.”

“Oh honey,” she looked uncomfortable. “I'm afraid they don't give tours or anything anymore.”

“You don't understand.” this wasn't part of my plan. But I shouldn't have been surprised. “I need to speak to one of them. Both of them, probably.”

“Soos,” she leaned back and called towards a curtained off area. “Soos, honey?”

Smoke filled the room suddenly. I coughed lightly, fanning away the smoke. A large, heavy figure stepped towards me. A string tie, a little fez cap, a vintage looking suit. He grinned at me, well pleased to have an audience.

Normally, there's nothing I like more than a performer who wants to perform. I loved the cheesy ones in particular, who knew they had a cheap schtick, but wanted the audience to play along. I loved movies where you could see the strings, and I loved magicians who let us see the cards up their sleeves. They were always the ones who had the most extravagant tricks.

“Well hello, dude! Welcome to the Mystery Shack,” he waved his hand around, still grinning.

“Hey, hi, listen, I need to see one of the Pines.”

“I am happy to give you a tour. There are of wonders to behold here.”

“No, I know that, I know.” I was shivering now. I stepped closer to Soos, hoping he'd see the desperation in my eyes. “I have to see them. It's about the triangle man, Cipher.”

“Never mind all that.” both the blonde and Soos said in unison. Although Soos did look rather uncomfortable when he said it.

“No!” my hands dropped to my sides, clenched into fists. “No, you don't get it! It's about my sister!”

Soos looked at me, his easy grin fading into a frown. He contemplated me, the puddle forming around my feet, the way I shook. It was only partly because of the chill that had driven into my bones. He glanced at the girl and then back at me.

“Are they home, Melody?” 

“They said they didn't want to be bothered.”

“Please!” I cried out again. Both of them snapped to look at me. 

“I think this is important.” Soos said grimly. He pulled the curtain back. “You'd better come in, dude.”


	3. The One Left Alone in the Sun

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rainy confronts the elder set of Pines twins.

I sat at an old, scarred table. The kitchen was clean, and comfortable. I stared at my hands, listening to the murmur of voices in the next room. All of them were low, masculine. I used to enjoy hearing the low rumble of male voices. I loved men with deep voices, with rough laughs. There was something about it that made me feel safe. A memory that I just couldn't quite get a grasp on.

“Listen, kid!” a man came bursting through. I took in his wife beater and slippers, decided I didn't want to examine his boxers too thoroughly. My cheeks felt warm. “Whatever it is you're after, we can't help you.”

“But I know you know more about everything that happened last summer.”

“Even if I do, why would we ever want to discuss it?” he shuffled to a coffee pot and filled up a cut, not bothering to look at me.

“Because I really really need some help.”

“It's the same story all over town.” he turned to me then, leaning against the counter. “I'm sorry for your troubles, kid, but there ain't any answers here.”

“There has to be.”

“He's right.” another voice came in then, dropping into the seat across from me. I looked up to see a near carbon copy of the first older man. This one was a little more well kept, and dressed in more than just his underwear. I felt eternally grateful for that.  
“I'm afraid there's nothing we can tell you.” his voice was smoother, and he seemed a little more well spoke, and spoke gently if not sympathetically. 

“Wait a minute,” the first man squinted at me. “I know you.” he pointed. “You're one of them Day girls, aren't you?”

“Yes. I'm Rainy.”

“Yeah! That's right!” Soos piped in from where he had been standing in the back. “You and your sister used to be in the parades and stuff. Did baton twirling, right? That was so cool, dog.”

“We did,” I didn't like to be reminded of those days. Stuffed into stiff dresses with ugly matching designs. Twirling batons and grinning until our cheeks ached with the effort of it. We'd laid down the law when we were eight, refused to do it anymore. Mom was devastated. She'd thought we'd liked performing for all those years.

A lot of twins bank on the whole 'cute twins' thing, but I always thought it was kind of gross. We were two separate people. No one knew her as well as I did, and I hated people thinking that we were just a cut and paste version of one another. By making sure people knew we were different, I was able to jealously guard all her secrets. I hoarded them inside of me, relishing the idea that I knew things about her even our Mom didn't.

“Stormy's missing.” I continued, feeling the lump in my throat.

“Rainy and Stormy?” one of the older men raised an eyebrow.

“Rainy and Stormy Day.” I mumbled. There was a beat of silence before Soos snorted. To his credit, he covered it as best he could with a cough.  
“Aren't your names Stanley and Stanford?” I accused. “That's basically just using the same name twice. That's just lazy.”

“No arguments here.” the second one lifted his hands in defeat. I thought I noticed something strange about his fingers, although I couldn't quite vocalize what it was. I looked at him sharply. “I'm Stanford. The under dressed man is Stanley.”

“Hey, you come into my house, you take me at my worst.” Stanley rolled his eyes.

“I'm not offended.” I muttered, even if I was. It didn't seem like a good idea to get on their bad side. “I just need help.”

“Miss Day, we told you.” Stanford turned to look at me. “There's nothing we can do for you. A lot of people lost someone. We can't track down every single person that's gone missing. It would take forever. And I hate to say this, but--,”

“Ford,” Stanley's voice held a warning. “Don't say it.”

“There's just nothing left of most of them.” Stanford continued. “They've been destroyed. There is nothing left of their bodies. Or if there is,” he amended. “There is nothing that you'd want to see. And if they are not dead, they are not the people that you loved. That's what happens to someone in these situations.”

“That didn't happen to Stormy!” I snapped. Stanford jumped, seemingly snapped out of his spiel. Stanley looked uncomfortable, setting down his mug and shifting from one foot to the other. “I would know if something like that had happened to Stormy. I'm not just her sister, I'm her twin. I would know if she was dead.”

“It doesn't work like that.” Stanley swallowed.

“It does for us. If she stubbed her toe, I'd have an aching foot. When I had strep, she lost her voice. Her soul is my soul, and I would just feel it if she was dead. I know she's out there somewhere, and I know she's waiting for me to come and help her.” I swallowed hard. “And I need you to help me find a way to do that.”

“Rainy,” Ford looked at me, reached for my hand. It was then that I saw he had six fingers. “Rainy, even if we could, the ramifications...”

“Forget about the ramifications!” I slammed both palms on the table, rattling the whole room. “I don't care about the whole world. Don't you understand that I care about my sister? Do you have any idea what it feels like? To be without my twin? There's no one in the world that I love like her, and there's no one else that understands me!”

“Rainy,” Ford said calmly. “I need you to relax.”

“I've spent a whole year being told 'Never mind all that!' and to relax. I am not going to pretend that Stormy didn't exist. I'm not going to just accept that she's dead.” my voice cracked.  
“I can't keep being alone like this. My whole life hurts, and I can't take it. Do you have any idea what this feels like? No one is hearing me, no one listens, no one cares! What am I supposed to do without her?”

Tears spilled down my face, and I wiped them harshly with my wet sleeve. I glared from one brother to the other. Ford looked down at his shoes. Stanley looked at me for a moment, then looked away. He took a deep breath and met my eye.

I saw empathy there. I saw pain. 

“Don't cry,” Stanley said, his voice softer than I'd ever heard. I felt another tear drip down my chin.  
“Please don't cry, Rainy.”

“Oh jeeze, dudes.” Soos mumbled as he scurried from the room. He reappeared quickly, carrying a towel and a box of tissues.  
“Come on, I can't stand to see girls cry.”

Ford was slinking into the background, looking like he was trying to make his escape. Stanley reached out and snatched his brother by the shoulder. He shoved him back into the seat. Ford scowled, but he still didn't look at me.

“I understand, Rainy. I understand what it's like to feel that way.” Stanley took a deep breath. “He does too,” he nodded at Ford.  
“I'm sorry, sweetheart. I know it hurts.”

My face crumpled then. I sank back into my seat, my face in my hands. I started to sob, sobbing because it hurt and sobbing because I was so embarrassed. And because I had been waiting nearly a year to have someone say those words to me. I felt heavy hands on my shoulders, hands that were rough, but intended to do me no harm. Hands that squeezed, hands that wished they could lift some of the burden off me. 

“I'm sorry about Stormy, Rainy.” Stanley said, his voice thick. “I am so sorry your sister is gone.”

I put my arms on the table and cradled my head in my arms, and let myself cry.


	4. These Scars Are Just A Trace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Stan and Ford have an offer for Rainy.

They still wouldn't help me. Ford swore there was nothing to do, no magic spell, no super special science. There was no mystery to uncover in the Mystery Shack. Instead, there was only my broken hear and the emptiness inside of me.

“Look,” Stan put his mug in the sink. “Would it make you feel better if I gave you a job?”

“A job?” I sniffled, wiping my nose with one of the tissues Soos had brought me. “Why would that make me feel better?”

“Because it's almost summertime, and the last thing you need to do is sulk around and think too much about it. You need a distraction.” he contemplated me for a moment and went and got a wet rag from the sink   
“Wipe your face.”

“That's just the thing she needs!” Ford seemed thrilled with the idea. “Especially with Soos and Melody moving away. That way you are still available to me, and she can run the Shack while we're busy.”

“I'm not fourteen yet.” I admitted somewhat reluctantly.

“Doesn't matter!” Stan waved away the issue. “They can't arrest you if you never file taxes.”

“Wow. Um. Wow. Okay.” I sniffled a bit. I swiped at my face with the wash cloth, handed it back. “I guess that's a good idea.”

“It's a perfect idea! Now we don't have to shut the Shack, Melody and Soos can go on to Seattle. Everything works out in the end.” Ford rose from the table. “And of course, Dipper and Mable will be around. You and Wendy can split the shifts.”

“Wendy Corduroy?” I'd seen her a few times in town. I wasn't in the high school yet, so it wasn't like I passed her in the halls or anything. But I knew of her. One of her brothers was in my class, and he wasn't the worst person in the world. Buff and sort of annoying, but if you dropped a dumb bell in front of him, that usually shut him up.

“Yeah, that's the one.” Stan perked up, glad that I seemed to have some idea what was going on. “No, we'll expect you the day after school lets out. Dipper and Mable, our niece and nephew will be here then.”

“I know who they are.” I rose from the table. “I should catch my bus. Um, thanks. Sirs.” I stumbled awkwardly. They both smiled and nodded me off. I slipped out of the Shack and towards the bus stop again.

The rain had stopped, but there was no sun to replace it. Just the overcast gray. I climbed on and paid my fare, not feeling quite satisfied. Of course, working wasn't as good as having answers. But if I was there, maybe I could listen in. Maybe I could get of them to slip up and tell me what I needed to know.

But maybe there are no answers, a voice in my head whispered. Maybe they're right, and Stormy is gone forever. Or if not gone, she's not in any state you'd want to see her in. Maybe accepting that is going to be the first step to moving on with your life. Would Stormy want you to spend the rest of your life depressed?

Well, of course she wouldn't. But I was certain that she had to be alive. And this could be the first step in figuring out where she was. And how I could get her back.

**

“Where were you all day?” Mom asked as I walked in the front door. She was laying on the couch, reading a magazine. One of the afghans Grandma crocheted was draped across her lap. “I missed you.”

“Sorry,” I shrugged. “You could have called.”

“Well, I thought maybe you were out with friends. I didn't want to interrupt that.” Mom tried not to sound too eager. Ever since Stormy disappeared, she and Dad had been encouraging me to get out more. They said sitting in our room wasn't doing anything.   
“But you ought to have called me, Rain. You know I don't like not knowing where you are.” she swallowed tightly.

Sometimes I forgot that I wasn't the only one who was hurting.

“I'm sorry, Mom. Really. I lost track of time.” I kicked off my shoes and came to sit on the couch as she swung her legs down. She draped half the blanket over me, her arm wrapping around my shoulder.

“You're young. It's forgivable.” she kissed my hair. “Just please, darling, please try not to scare me?”

“Of course.” I murmured. We sat the for a moment, Mom holding me close to her. I should be more careful, I shouldn't scare her. She is a good Mom.

“So!” she finally pulled away to look at me. “Tell me where you were. Who were you with? What were you doing?”

“I was—getting a job.”

“A job?” it wasn't really a lie. It's true that's not why I had gone to the Shack, but that was what happened while I was there.  
“What kind of job?”

“At the Mystery Shack.”

“The Mystery Shack?” her voice scaled up. “What kind of work are you doing there?”

“Oh, you know. Gift shop, sweeping, stuff like that. I'm splitting shifts with Wendy Corduroy.” I gave a big grin. “It's that great? Something to do this summer and make a little money.”

“I suppose that's nice, sweetie.” she sounded a little uncertain. “It's just that I thought you'd get a paper route or walk dogs or something. You're going to be all the way out in the woods like that. And I know the Pines brothers did a lot for the town last year, but they are a bit strange. Aren't they?” she cocked her head to the side.

“I'm a bit strange, in case you forgot.”

“No! Not... I didn't mean...” Mom fumbled. “Anyway, as long as you're happy. If you hate it, you can always quit.” Mom ruffled my hair.  
“Come and peel some potatoes for supper.”

I went to bed that night, a secret spark of hope in my chest. This was finally my chance. I would get Stormy back. And everything would go back to being okay.


	5. Past Isn't Worth Debating

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rainy meets Dipper and Mabel, things don't go as smoothly as she'd hoped.

The summer dawned warm and hazy. I took the bus out, hopped off and jammed my hands in my pockets. I started the walk, headphones deep in my ears. At least it wasn't raining. The smell of the forest crept up on me, 

I smelled the sweet rot of fallen leaves. The intense scent of pine seeped into my hair, and I was sure it could over power my perfume and shampoo. The new growth of grasses, fresh and almost unidentifiable. I didn't realize until now how much I liked the smell of the forest. Almost before I knew what was happening, I was at the Shack.

The sign wasn't flipped yet, but I let myself in and started to turn on lights. I grabbed a rag and began to wipe down the glass cases. 

“Holy crap!” a cry cut through my music and I jumped, nearly falling against the case I was cleaning. Heart pounding, I spun around and found myself facing Dipper Pines, town legend and hero. We stared at each other for a moment.  
“What are you doing here?”

I ripped out my earbuds, let them dangle down as I swallowed a few times. My palms were sweaty. Of course I had every reason to be here. I wasn't doing anything wrong. But he was staring me in shock and something like anger.

“I work here! I'm Rainy.” he continued to stare. “Didn't Stan or Ford say something about it?”

“What about Wendy?” he demanded, his cheeks going red.

“They told me that we'd be splitting the shifts.” I felt myself shrinking back. He took a step towards me. “I don't know anything else, this is my first day.”

“Dipper!” a gruff voice came from the doorway. Stan came shuffling in, clad in only his undershirt and boxers again. I turned my eyes down. This job was going to be the death of me, wasn't it? I almost lost my nerve right then, threw down my cleaning tools and fled.

But leaving would be like admitting defeat. And leaving would mean I wouldn't be any closer to finding out what happened to Stormy. 

“Grunkle Stan,” Dipper spun around.

“Dipper, please don't harass the staff.” he rubbed his eyes. “I haven't had my coffee yet and I can't enjoy her discomfort.”

“But who IS she?” he demanded.

“I told ya. Her name is Rainy. She's splitting the shifts with Wendy. She got a job down at the convenience store. She'll only be here some of the days of the week.” Stan scratched at his back and sipped from his coffee mug.  
“Morning, Rain. Good to see you get right to it.”

“But! But, she'll be here some days, right? Wendy?” Dipper looked both confused and angry. I could only wring my dust cloth and look between one and the other.

“Some days, I guess. Sure.” Stan shrugged. “Missed a spot.” he took his finger and smeared down my freshly polished glass.

“I didn't mean to startle you.” I murmured as I went to wipe the glass again. There was no response, and when I looked up, I saw that Dipper was gone. Something sank in my chest. I knew I needed Dipper on my side. 

“Don't mind him!” a cheery voice said from my side. I jumped nearly a foot.

“What is with this family? Do you all just lurk in shadows for fun?” I snapped.

“Well sometimes,” she looked thoughtful. “I'm Mabel,” she held out her hand and shook mine enthusiastically. I was dizzy just watching her.  
“Sorry my brother is so dorky. But he,” she dropped her voice to a whisper. “Has a thing for Wendy. But don't tell. It's a secret.”

“Oh, great.” I said faintly. “Thanks for sharing.” I stared at her, taking in her big smile and bright eyes. 

“Well, I for one am glad that you're going to be here all summer. Sometimes it gets a little heavy on the testosterone, you know?”

“What about Wendy?” Mabel just stared and raised an eyebrow. Okay, fair point. Wendy wasn't exactly the pinnacle of femininity. Then again, I considered, maybe I wasn't either. Ever since Bill Cipher, I had stopped doing the things that Stormy and I were just starting to enjoy.

I had loved sitting up with her, putting our hair into curlers, or running the straightener through it. I liked playing with different colors on our eyelids and lips. We'd had a lot of fun practicing. We barely needed a mirror, We were each others mirror.

Ever since Bill Cipher, I'd come to dress plainly, in blue jeans and solid colored shirts. I wore black hoodies. I wore my long dark brown hair in a braid to keep it out of my face. I didn't bother with make up anymore. 

“I don't think I'm much better.” I said lamely.

“You could be!” Mabel seemed to bounce on her toes. “You have so much potential. I can tell. Come on upstairs with me, and we can get started right away. Don't you just love make overs?”

“I think I'm getting paid to work.” I gave her a sorry smile.

“You're not getting paid that much, not if I know my Grunkle Stan. You might as well take a break.”

“Rainy!” that gruff voice came through. “Go out and rake the yard! Need to keep it presentable!”

“Okay!” I hollered back. “Sorry,” I shrugged to Mabel. 

**

I raked for what felt like hours. The leaves were just never ending, like no one had touched it all season long. For all I knew, that was true. I kept wiping the sweat off my forehead and raking, pulling all the leaves into a pile.

“Grunkle Stan said to put those in the pit.” Dipper jerked his head to a pit, a bit of a ways from where I had been piling them. I groaned audibly.

“Why didn't he say that before?”

“Why didn't you ask that before?” he scowled.

I stared at him for a moment. I wanted I shout, I wanted to sneer. Instead, I just began to pick up leaves by the handful and carry them to the pit, throwing them in one by one. Dipper watched me for a moment before groaning himself and heading to a shed. He trudged reluctantly back over and snapped a tarp open. Wordlessly, he began to help me load all the rubbish onto the tarp, then grabbed two corners and helped me dump it.

“Work smarter, not harder Rainy.” he glared at me and then turned to walk away.

“I didn't make Wendy quit or anything.” I felt breathless and weak. My muscles ached. This was not the summer I carved out in my head. I was sweaty and probably smelled. Dipper turned to look at me. Then he shrugged.

“Whatever. She'll be around.”

Dipper went back into the Shack. I checked my watch and realized that my shift was over. I sighed and went to grab my bag and head back to the bus stop.


	6. Count Your Blessings, Not Your Flaws

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rainy finds out what the bottomless pit is all about. Dipper thinks he's a real nice guy.

“Are you kidding me?” I gasped out the next morning when I arrived. The lot and yard was surrounded with leaves again. It looked like I hadn't done any work at all. But the leaves on the trees were still healthy and green, nothing looked out of place.   
“How is this even possible?”

“You put them in the pit, didn't you?” Mabel skipped towards me and actually looked sympathetic.

“That's what Stan said I should do.” I continued to stare, unsure of what I was seeing.

A gruff laugh came from behind me. I spun to see Stan, dressed in a suit with a snappy little tie. He winked and tipped his coffee mug to me. 

“It's a bottomless pit.”

“So shouldn't the leaves still be in there somewhere?”

“It reverses itself.” Mabel gave me a sheepish smile. I stared for a moment, then dropped down in the middle of the lot. Stan continued to laugh to himself as he went back into the Shack. I stared at the leaves.  
“I'm going to leave you alone to process this for minute. You need some time.”

“He's got a rowdy sense of humor.” Dipper stood beside me for a moment. His hands were jammed in his pockets, his hat pulled down over his eyes. He sounded slightly embarrassed, but I noticed he wasn't meeting my glance.

“Yeah, I'm sure it was all just a great joke to you, wasn't it?” I snapped. I stalked to the shed to find the rake again. Dipper gaped at me. He kicked a rock and stalked off inside the Shack himself, leaving me to my early summer heat and sweaty work.

Around noon, I collapsed on the porch. A tour was taking place, and I was sure I heard a few cameras snapping. I couldn't even muster up the energy to flip one of them off. Instead, I stared up at the splintery boards and tried to pretend I was doing something normal. Sleeping in, going to the movies, sitting at the pool, anything that would take me away from here. The leaves, this time, were piled up in the grass to be burned later.

I closed my eyes, sighing lightly. Something hot and wet was against my cheek, and I jumped. A surprised squeal rang in my ear. I found myself staring down at a pig. He titled his head, one ear perking up. I rubbed my eyes and looked at the pig again.

“Yup, okay, why not.” I grumbled. 

“Waddles!” Dipper poked his head out. He spotted me and froze. I flopped back down on the creaky porch, not wanting to see him.

To my shock, he shuffled out. I threw an arm over my eyes. His sneakers paused by my head, and the boards groaned as he sat gingerly next to me. I didn't bother to speak, or move my arm. Instead, I reached for my pig, surprised at how soft his ears were against my palm. He snorted in contentment and flopped down.

Well, it was nice to have someone who wanted to be near me. 

“You look hot and sticky.”

“Thanks, you too are a peach.” I snarled. He cringed, and I felt a little ashamed. I shouldn't be nasty. It wasn't going to get my any closer to my goal.  
“Dipper, why do you hate me?”

“I don't hate you.” he mumbled.

“You could have fooled me.” I raised myself up on my elbows to look at him. I didn't like to present myself as being so desperate. I tried to tell myself that I didn't care if Dipper liked me, truly. I was here for one purpose, and I couldn't let Dipper liking me or not get in my way of that.

Everything was for Stormy.

“Things are complicated, Rainy.”

“You're not the only one who has complications, you know that?” I shook my head. 

“Rainy, you being here is dangerous. There are things that go on here you can't understand and I can't tell you. I don't want to see you get hurt.”

“But you want to see Wendy get hurt?” I raised an eyebrow.

“Wendy saw a lot more. I know that Wendy can handle these things. I'm not sure you can.” I sat up straight, feeling the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. 

“I've been through a lot more things than you can ever imagine, Dipper.” I scrambled up to my feet. Waddles made a sad sound and backed away from the two of us. “And I don't have to prove anything to you. You are not the smartest person in the world, and I'm not here to impress you. I'm here to work.”

“And I'm just telling you I don't think it's a good idea for you to be here.”

“You don't get to decide that.” I stamped my foot, frustrated. The door opened and Mabel stood, looking between us warily.

“What's going on here? Are you two making friends?” she sounded slightly hopeful.

“I'm telling your brother he isn't the smartest guy in the world.”

“Oh, he knows that!” she flapped her hand. “I tell him all the time.”

“He doesn't get it though.” I glared and stood up, feeling the burn in my limbs. “He's going to learn. I'll see you guys tomorrow,”

“Wait! Wait, Rainy!” Dipper yelled at me as I stomped off to the bus stop. He raced behind me, and I was just too tired to try and keep running. Finally, he grabbed my shoulder and spun my around. I tripped over a tree root, falling flat onto my back. Dipper tumbled down onto me, catching himself roughly on his palms.

His legs tangled with mine, his hands on either side of my head. He stared down at me, my heart was in my throat. I didn't know if I should shove him off me, or roll over and pin him down. Of course, if I rolled him, I knew that I'd start punching him. No one else made me feel so angry, no one else frustrated me so much. And I barely knew him.

“Rainy, I can't stand to watch anyone else get hurt by everything.” he was speaking softly. “I've watched a lot of people get hurt.”

“Oh yeah?” my voice wavered. I swallowed hard and put my hands on his shoulders. “You're not the only one who saw a lot. Don't you dare underestimate me, Dipper Pines.” and I pushed.

He tumbled back, and I scrambled up. Before he could speak, I raced towards the bus stop, wiping away dirt and tears from my eyes. 

***

I took two Tylenol that night. Mom frowned as I murmured something about yard work. I just slipped upstairs and drew a hot bath. The water steamed as I sank into it. I laid back, letting the heat sink into my scalp. I stared at the ceiling, rethinking my words to Dipper earlier that afternoon. 

I'd been harsh. Maybe he was just trying to look out for me. Maybe it really had nothing to do with Wendy. And maybe he had a point, knowing some of the things he knew, would he really want to chance someone else getting hurt? I knew that I wouldn't want anyone else to be hurt the way we had all been.

I closed my eyes and sank back farther, holding my breath. The hardest part was not having someone to speak to. The loneliness was creeping up my throat, choking me. With a gasp, I broke the surface of the water. I'd need to figure something out, and fast.


	7. Dirty Laundry Looks Good On You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rainy considers her upcoming birthday.

Dipper and I had reached an uncomfortable truce. He didn't speak to me, and I didn't look at him. It had only been a few weeks, though, the whole summer stretched before us. I still had time to figure this out. I sat at the register, smiling as Mabel showed me a scrapbook.

“And this is us last Summerween!” she grinned, tapping a picture of her and Dipper. “Aren't we adorable?”

“You sure are.” I chuckled.

“What were you?”

“Oh um,” I rubbed the back of my neck. I didn't want to talk about what Stormy and I had been. “I didn't really go out. Got kinda busy.” it wasn't a lie, our birthday was right between Summerween. This year there wasn't any of the bubbly excitement that comes from having a birthday. This year it felt hollow.

No one had even mentioned it at home.

“And here's our birthday.” she turned to the final page in her scrapbook. There was so much glitter on the page, and balloon stickers. It looked like a dream come true, with their arms around each other. Stan and Ford were there, hugging them, bright smiles all around.  
“Oh, Rainy! When's your birthday? We can have a party, even if we've missed it. We love parties, don't we, Waddles?” the pig oinked happily.

“Um, next week.”

“Really? So soon! I wish I'd known.” Mabel squealed and clapped her hands. “Don't worry, we'll throw you a party. It'll be fun. What colors do you like?”

“I don't celebrate my birthday anymore.” I said flatly, closing the scrapbook. I had one picture of my birthday last year. Stormy and I had been at the pool with some friends. Dad caught a picture of us sitting on the steps together, arms around shoulders.

Dipper looked up from his stool in the corner. Stan had wandered in, dressed in his little fez and tie. He glanced from his niece and nephew to me.

“Because no one everyone does, kids.” I realized then that he had not told them my twin was gone. “But you're free to pick out anything you want from the gift shop. On the house!”

“Grappling hook, you need a grappling hook!” Mabel chimed in, distracted from the birthday thing for a second. “I can't tell you how many times this has come in handy for   
me.” she pulled a hook out from under her sweater.

“You gave her a grappling hook?” I looked at Stan, jaw dropped. While I did like Mabel, she just didn't look the type to have a dangerous weapon.

“She picked, I didn't have a chance to say no!”

Before I could speak another word, the hook was wrapped a beam, and Mabel was swinging around, Waddles tucked under one arm. I stared for a minute and shook my head with a smile. Stan watched her, hands folded behind his back.

I saw Dipper lift his heavy book slowly. He kept peering at me carefully out of the corners of his eyes. I checked the clock and grabbed my bag, swinging it over my shoulder with a wave. Mabel dropped down to give me a hug, and Stan walked me to the door.

“Thanks for not telling them.” I said softly.

“I didn't think you wanted them to know.” he gave me a soft smile. “I'll try and persuade Mabel you don't need a party. Be kinda hard, she's pretty head strong and likes making people happy.” he chuckled uncomfortably.

“I know. I appreciate it, Stan.” I was quiet for a moment. “This is the first birthday without her.”

“It doesn't get easier.” he said softly, serious for a moment. “You just learn to live with it a little bit better every year.” he hesitated before reaching out and putting his hand   
on my shoulder.   
“You're doing really well, Rainy, and I'm—I'm proud of you.”

“Thanks, Stan.” I smiled. “I'll see you tomorrow.”

We danced around the issue of my birthday at home. We sat at the dinner table, not looking at the empty seat beside me. Just like we had closed the door to her room, right next to mine and not opened it since.

I knew my favorite red sweater was in there, draped over her desk chair. I knew it would smell like her perfume. She wore light, floral scents. I liked, darker, heavier ones. She wore her hair loose, curled around her shoulders. I pulled mine in a tight braid most of the time. She liked to wear her lips glossy, I wore mine bare most of the time.

I glanced at the empty chair next to mine. Mom still put out her place mat. We didn't put out the plate or the silverware, though. I wasn't sure if it would help.

“What do you want for your birthday this year, Rain?” Dad finally wiped his mouth with his napkin and looked at me with a grin. 

My heart ached. His eye kept sliding to the empty space. I had heard him stumble, I knew he almost said 'girls'. He always called us his girls, he always talked about how the pair of us were everything to him. I wondered if it hurt him more to see me without her, than it would have been to see neither of us at all.

“I don't know.” I played with my peas. Mom frowned, and Dad looked a little crestfallen. I could tell they wanted me to come up with something. They needed me to at least pretend to be normal, they wanted to know they had one daughter; not remember they lost one.   
“I can't think of anything.”

“Nothing?” Dad pressed gently. “We could get you a cell phone.”

“Sure!” Mom jumped in. “And then I'll be able to call you no matter where you are.”

“Jessica,” Dad hissed.

“I just like knowing where you are. And now you have that job out in the middle of nowhere. Anything could happen.” she served herself some more pot roast.

“I don't—nothing is going to happen to me at the Shack, Mom. There are so many people there are all the time.”

“All the time? What kind of people? Maybe some of those tourists are kidnappers.”

“Jessica, that is enough.” Dad threw down his napkin. “Now she is fourteen years old, you can't baby her.”

“Well, I already lost one child!” the words cut through the air. I gasped and stood up.

“I don't even want a birthday, okay? It's too hard.” I headed for the stairs.

“See what you've done now!”

“Presley, I'm sorry. It's just—I feel like you're only focusing on her pain.” Mom sounded tearful.

“She lost her twin sister. She's hurting. You're hurting. I'm hurting. I know that. But we all need to learn how to move on. And you smothering her is not going to help any of   
us. You keep pushing at her, and all she's going to do is pull away. You wanna lose two kids?”

“Shut up!” 

“I will not! This is why I was sending you to a therapist.” I ran the rest of the way up the stairs and slammed the door. I didn't need to hear any more of it. 

***

The week dragged on. Mabel was giving me secretive looks, and her two friends, Candy and Grenda were coming over. They'd scurry up to attic and talk in heavy whispers   
and giggles. It was all I could do not to put my head in my arms. Dipper sat on his stool, this time with a notebook, scribbling in it frantically.

Finally, he checked his watch. He put aside the notebook and slid off the stool, shuffling towards me with hands in his pockets. I looked up from where I was gluing tiny horns onto a taxidermied frog. I wasn't sure if he should be a demon frog or a new animal. I thought demon frog sounded cool, and thought about making a little trident for him out of pipe cleaners.

“Come into the TV room with me.”

“No,” I didn't look up, using the tweezers to place the horn. 

“Please, Rainy?” I sighed and oozed away from the counter, practically flopping behind him. There was a rustling in the dim room, and there was a sick feeling in my stomach. As soon as we stepped in, Dipper flipped the switch.

“Happy birthday!” they all shouted. Wendy, Ford, Mabel, Grenda, Candy, and Stan, who looked extremely uncomfortable. I stared at them, the pile of gifts on the table, the cake standing proudly with fourteen candles in it. 

Everyone stood around, looking pleased with themselves. Streamers hung from the ceiling, balloons were tacked to the wall. They looked so bright and hopeful. I stared, my hands limply at my sides. 

“You—you shouldn't have.” I knew it was coming. It shouldn't have been a surprise. 

“Do you love it?” Mabel came to take my arm, trying to pull me towards the table. “I thought we'd eat the cake first, and then you can open your presents?”

“Stop,” I yanked my arm away from her, feeling the hot tears sliding down my face. I scrubbed them away with the cuff of my hoodie.

“What's wrong?” Mabel frowned, then grinned again. “Just need to take it all in, huh?”

“You really, really shouldn't have.” I managed to croak out. I turned to look at Stan. He looked down at his feet.

“I told her it was probably a bad idea. I said you wouldn't like it.” he looked up at me and swallowed. “I am sorry, Rain.”

“What's wrong?” Mabel repeated. “Dipper, do something.”

“Rainy, come on.” he nudged me. “Mabel worked really hard on this.”

“Well, who asked?” I snapped. I choked on a sob and spun to run out of the room. Stan and Ford parted ways, letting me race through them and out the back door. I didn't make it very far, tears blurring my vision. I stumbled over some rocks and ended up sitting down at the tree line.

After awhile, someone walked towards me. Their steps were hesitant, gentle. I didn't look up, didn't lift my head from my arms. I didn't even lower my legs. I didn't want to see anyone. But the person sat down next to me.

“Grunkle Stan says we have to ask you ourselves.” Dipper began. “And I told Mabel I'd ask.” he gingerly sat in the grass next to me.  
“But I brought you some cake.”

I didn't respond, just sniffled and lifted my face. I couldn't lift my eyes to look towards him, or towards the cake. He sat silently next to me for a few seconds.

“You know, my sister worked really hard on that party. I think you at least owe her an explanation of why you didn't like it! Most people don't run out crying like that.” he was frustrated now. I swallowed hard and finally managed to speak.

“You're not the only twin, you know that?”

“What?” he paused. “Grunkle Stan and Ford are, too.”

“I am,” I yanked at my knuckles, a nervous habit from childhood.

“Really?” he blinked. “You never said.”

“When Bill Cipher came. She was gone.”

“She was turned to stone?”

“No,” I shook my head. “We were running. All four of us. Running to hide wherever we could find shelter. And I was holding her hand, and then she slipped free. I looked back and she was gone. I couldn't stop running, I was sure she'd catch right up. I yelled for her and yelled for her.”

“Oh, Rainy.” Dipper murmured. “I'm so sorry.”

“She was gone. Stormy was gone. We didn't find her. Mom and Dad think she's dead. They act like she's dead.” I finally looked at him, let him see the heartbreak written on my face. 

Dipper reached out and then and took my hand. His fingers laced through mine. Impulsively, I turned my face into his shoulder. Dipper froze for a moment before wrapping his arm around my waist. I clung to him, realizing then how much I had missed someone touching me.

“I didn't know, Rainy. I'm sorry.” he murmured in my ear.

I just shook my head. I didn't have any words.


	8. I DIdn't Know I Was Broken Until I Wanted to Change

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper didn't give Rainy a birthday gift. There's always the lab, behind the vending machine. And there's a time when no one's looking.

“Hey,” several days passed. I was on my tiptoe, alone in the Shack, trying to dust a shelf. I jumped, falling off my rickety stool with a clatter. The feather duster hit me in the face. I looked up with a glare. Dipper bit his lip, trying hard not to laugh.  
“Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you.”

“Well, my ego is the only thing really bruised.” I pulled myself up with a groan. “Maybe my spleen too, I'm not too sure.”

“I realized that I missed your birthday.”

“No!” I stepped back. “We had a heart to heart, it was really sweet and sad. No, you didn't miss anything.”

“I owe you a present.”

“Dipper,” I looked down at my shoes, thought how the soles were peeling off my sneakers. “You being my friend that night when I really needed one was enough of a present. You don't owe me anything.”

“I have something else for you.” he held out a hand to me. “Come on. Grunkle Ford helped me put it together.”

“I feel like I should be afraid.”

“Come on,” he snorted. He pulled me to the vending machine, punched in a code, then yanked me down the stairs. “Don't touch anything, okay Rainy? Some of this is kinda spooky.” 

I stood in the middle of the lab, spinning in a circle. Lights and bottles and jars, stacks and stacks of papers. Some tools on the table caught my eye, and I fought the twitchy compulsion to go and pick one of them up.

“Don't ever, ever come down here alone.” Dipper was in a drawer, pulling out a small box. Suddenly shy, he didn't quiet look me in the eye as I pried open the little black box.

To my surprise, there laid a pendant on a silver chair. The pendant looked like one of the crystals you'd find in one of the New Age shops. I lifted it out carefully, and looked at the crystal and gasped. When I looked closely, the light caught inside of it and sparkled. A rainbow came almost spilling out.

“How does that work? Is it a prism?” I breathed. “There's no light shining through it.”

“It's something Ford and I figured out.” he rubbed the back of his neck, his cheeks glowing pink, “He did something to a prism, it's really hard to explain.”

“I love it so much.” I kept turning the crystal, watching the rainbow rippling around the room. I used to think rainbows were childish, something that little girls wanted painted on their walls. But this—this was different.

“I just wanted you to remember that after the rain, there's a rainbow.” I looked at him again. “Here,” the moment stretched between us, tense and heavy. He broke it when he reached for the necklace and went to put it on me. I swung my pony tail out of the way.

Dipper clasped the necklace around my neck. I touched the crystal and turned to look at him. He caught my eye and then looked away. Without another word, he turned and walked back up the stairs. I trailed behind him. But before we went upstairs, I took another look around at all the books, the machines, the tools.

There had to be something down here to tell me what happened to Stormy. And I was going to find out.

***

My chance came sooner than I thought it would. Two days later, the Shack was empty as soon as I came in. The lights were off, and the sign was flipped to 'Closed'. Weird. I checked my watch, even though I knew I was on time. 

“Hello?” I called out. “Guys?”

There was a note, hastily scribbled against the cash register.

“Emergency. Closed. Head on home, will call when we get back. Dipper.” I read out loud. Interesting. I didn't think he'd write me a note. They all had my cell number, why wouldn't they just send me a text?

I was a little miffed about wasting the bus fare, and having to trudge back out to the stop. I gathered my purse back up and stopped. The door behind the vending machine was cracked open. I should have been surprised that it was even there. Instead, I just stared, remembering what I had seen when Dipper gave me my necklace.

The guilt tasted bitter. 

Never come down here alone. Don't touch anything. 

I crept towards the door. There was no one home. I was sure I'd hear them come home. They said it would be a long time. They said it was an emergency. I wouldn't do anything, not really. I'd just go down and take a quick look around. And then back up and home.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up. I tiptoed down the steps and into the lab. The electronics hummed. I paused at the workbench again, wondering about the tools. I could almost picture Dipper and Ford bent over the table, carefully crafting my necklace.

The necklace that now felt like a stone around my neck.

“I have to try.” I murmured.

I headed for the books. One volume, heavy and bound by hand seemed promising. I pulled it down and began to flip through the heavy parchment pages. There were hand drawn sketches, and the words were hard to make out.

I put it back and reached for another one.

A jar caught my eye. Something winked and twinkled inside it, even in the dim light. I picked it up, spotting what looked like a little bug inside. The bug tapped on the glass, and I tapped back. It paused, then tapped harder.

I'd never seen a bug be able to make noise against the heavy glass. I looked at it, took in the large pincers, saw the legs. It was almost like a beetle, with a pretty iridescent body. I carefully opened the jar. Maybe Ford just liked entomology? 

But as soon as I took him out of the jar, he started to grow. In seconds, there was a giant beetle in front of me. His mouth foamed green. Those claw snappers opened and closed violently. I cringed. The beetle moved between me and the stairs.

“Help!” I screamed out. My purse was on a table. My phone was in the purse. I cringed closer to the wall as the beetle stamped his feet.  
“I need some help!”

He lunged towards me, I dropped and rolled away. One heavy leg pressed onto my back. The air squeezed out of my lungs, and I clawed at the floor, trying to pull myself away. I gasped out a cry again as I felt something wet fall down onto my shoulder. It stung and I flailed.

Was this a waste of breath? Was there a better way out of this?

“Dear God!” I heard a shout from the steps. Everything seemed to be going too fast all of a sudden. The beetle was making a horrible screeching sound. I felt more stinging on me, but it got easier to breathe. I flipped around, wheezing and choking. 

Ford was on the beetle's back, wrangling him. The bug reared up, the crashing of tools and glass. I scrambled into a corner. He plunged something into the beetle's back, and I watched it shrink down and get scooped into another jar.

“What were you doing down here?” Dipper was there, standing on the stairs. He ran towards me before Ford could say anything. He grabbed my shoulders and shook me gently.  
“I told you to never come down here! If we hadn't come, you could have been killed! It would have eaten you. Is that what you wanted?”

“Dipper, everyone gets curious.” Ford wiped his forehead. “Although I can't say I'm pleased she snuck down here.”

“There are dangerous, delicate things down here.” Dipper continued. His face was red, and I felt his hands shaking on my shoulders.

It wasn't until then I realized that he was scared. He had seen me being crushed, and his first reaction was to be scared. I was trembling too, and to my shame, my lower lip quivered. I closed my eyes, feeling tears leaking out.

“I was just-I thought that—I didn't know--.”I stammered and swallowed, taking in a shuddering gasp. I was crushed against his chest then. I clutched at his shirt, burying my   
face against his shoulder. We stood there for a moment.

“You have to trust me, Rainy.” his voice was low and hoarse. “I know that I wasn't nice to you at first. I'm sorry. You just have to trust me. Don't you see that I just don't want you to get hurt?”

“I'm sorry.” I pulled away from him. “Mr. Pines, I'm sorry.”

He looked uncomfortable, squirming in his spot. The scientist, for all his brilliance, didn't like seeing girls cry. He didn't know how to handle it. It would have been adorable had I not felt so ashamed of myself.

“Stay out of here, Rainy.” he finally said. “I don't want you to get hurt. Dipper, take her upstairs and put some ointment on her wounds. Where the beetle dripped on her. She won't have a scar, at least. This could have been much worse.” 

I followed after Dipper, not meeting Stan or Mabel's eye as Dipper lifted the tears in my shirt to rub on ointment. I only accepted one of Mabel's sweaters, this one with a rain cloud and a rainbow on it, and walked myself to the bus stop.


	9. Tossing Stones At Your Window

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper invites Rainy to the Founder's Day celebration. Is it a date? And what are all these little gremlins doing around?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot going on here. I hope you like it! It took so long, I had to revamp my timeline and I had a few things I knew I wanted to set up.

Founder's Day set up in downtown. I sat on the steps of city hall, licking idly at an ice pop as I watched the banners go up. Mabel came by with Candy and Grenda. I grinned and waved as they headed for the cemetery. They'd said something about conjuring spirits. I had respectfully declined the invite earlier in the morning.

“Looks dumb.” Dipper muttered as he took a seat next to me. “She already knows that's not going to work.”

“Then why's she doing it?” I offered him a lick of my ice pop. Dippy accepted and took a few licks off the cherry colored sugar water and handed it back. We sat in the summer heat, watching the sweating workers arrange bunting and streamers.

“She just likes to look for adventure. Mabel likes getting into different scrapes, I think. It's an adventure for her.”

“You don't like adventure?” I smiled at him. He turned pink and shrugged.

“I like adventures with Uncle Ford. But, after everything that happened last year, I know we can't just rush head first into everything. Some things are dangerous. You know that.” he raised an eyebrow. I chuckled and stood up, brushing off the back of my jeans.  
“Um, Rainy...”

“Yeah?” I took one last lick of the ice pop and handed him the rest of it. 

“The Shack is closed tomorrow. Do you want to hang out? At Founder's Day?”

“Sure,” I felt bubbles bursting in my belly. Before either of us could speak, I turned and ran away, heading for the house. I threw a wave over my shoulder.

“Out with one of the Pines twins?” Mom set dinner on the table last night. Dad dished out the plates of lasagna. He glanced at me and gave me an eye roll.  
“I don't know. I haven't met him yet.”

“It isn't going out. We're just going to walk around Founder's Day.” I pushed the food around on my plate.

“I don't know...” Mom said again.

“I think it's fine.” Dad didn't even look up from his plate. “She's fourteen, she's not a baby, Jessica. They're out in the daytime, in a well lit area, with plenty of supervision. It isn't a date. She's hanging out with someone.”

“She's hanging out with a boy.” Mom said from through her teeth.

“She needs a friend. It's good for her.” he put down his fork. “She's spent a year locked in her room. Let her go out. She's young, and I don't want to watch her suffer for the rest of her life.”

“Of course she's going to suffer.” Mom slammed herself down in her chair. “We're all going to suffer for the rest of our lives.”

“Maybe we don't have to.” Dad's voice was calm.

“Presley!”

“Jessica!”

I slammed my own fork down. They turned and looked at me.

“Can I do one thing in my life without it being all about Stormy?” they were stunned for a minute, looking from one another to back at me.

“Of course, sweetheart.” Mom reached for a bread roll. “I just want to make sure you're safe. I'm always going to want to know that you're okay.”

I just stood up and headed for my room. I heard Mom call for me and Dad hush her. I headed for my room to lay in my bed. I wish that Stormy was there. Not only so Mom would be off my back, but because I wanted someone to talk to.

I felt giddy. A boy had wanted to hang out with me, alone. A nice enough boy. Of course, I knew it wasn't anything too serious. Dipper was a friend of mine. We saw each other every day at work. We were the same age. Of course he'd want to hang out with me. 

Still though, a boy. A boy wanted to hang out with me.

If Storm was there, she would have giggled with me, would have helped me figure out how to do my hair. She would have insisted on putting lip gloss on me, making me paint my nails. She would have helped me find the perfect shirt.

I went to my closet and opened it, looking at everything on the hangers. I hadn't worn most of it in a year. I hadn't had any excuse for party clothes. I hadn't wanted to feel pretty. I hadn't cared. I pulled out a long sleeved top that laced up the front. It had long, filmy sleeves. Mom had flipped out when I brought it home, saying it was too low cut, the lace up was inappropriate.

I looked over at my spaghetti strap tops and shorts I usually wore in summer time. Somehow they felt wrong. I just sat on my bed and looked up at the ceiling. It wasn't a date, I wouldn't treat it like a date. Instead, I pulled out a pair of denim shorts and a tank top.

That felt right. 

***

Founder's Day was hazy and warm. I headed downtown to sit on the steps. The games were just gearing up, and even through the heat everyone was ready to have a good time. Dipper and Mabel came up, talking intently.

“I think I could win a friend for Waddles!” 

“I don't think Mom and Dad would like having another pig in the house.” Dipper shook his head.

“Waddles has grown on them. Dad takes him golfing.”

“True. But the yard s pretty small to have two pigs, Mabel.” her brother grinned and shook his head. I scrambled up and waved at them. Was Mabel hanging out with us today? Maybe I had gotten a little too excited about hanging out with Dipper.

“Candy! Grenda!” Mabel stood on tiptoes, waving to the girls. She gave us a metal mouth grin and raced off to the other two. I headed cautiously down to Dipper, running my hands up and down my thighs.

“Hey, Rain.” Dipper pushed his hat up. I just smiled. 

“Wanna get some cotton candy?” one of my favorite treats. I loved the spun sugar, loved the sweetness melting on my tongue. Dipper nodded and we headed for a stand. Before he could pull out any money, I bought us each a stick.

The candy distracted us from an awkward silence as we strolled around the festival. We skipped opening remarks by the Northwest family. I told Dipper that Pacifica wasn't my favorite person. He could only laugh and nudge me.

“Me neither.”

We paused at balloon popping game. I scanned the hanging stuffed animals, spotting a stuffed pig.

“We should win that for Mabel.” 

“We totally should.” he grinned broadly at me. He paused for a moment as I bought my darts and tossed them at the balloons, only popping two.  
“It's really cool that you thought of my sister like that.”

“Well, I do have an inkling what it's like.” I shrugged. Dipper looked down at his shoes. I had to stop saying things like that. I knew I was making him uncomfortable. Maybe Mom was right, in a way. I was going to be miserable the rest of my life reminding myself that she was gone.

I didn't manage the stuffed pig, but I did win a tiny bear, with lots of cheap fluffy fur. He looked like he had just stuck his finger in a light socket. With an ostentatious bow, I presented it to Dipper.

“For the gentleman.”

“Why, Rainy! You shouldn't have.” He snorted as he examined the polyester creation. “It looks like something Frankenstein would create.” he mused.

“Franky is a cute bear name.” I gathered up my purse, ready to move on.

“Hold on a sec,” he handed me back the bear. “I didn't try yet.”

I figured him for a nerdy thrower. I expected the darts to bounce off the balloons. I wouldn't laugh, I decided. Didn't want to embarrass him. It wasn't his fault that I was a   
better shot than him. 

My jaw dropped when he popped all three and kept winning darts. In just a few minutes, one of the pigs was pulled down and handed to him. I laughed out loud then, seeing him with the big pink thing in his arms. He then handed it to me.

“Fair trade?”

“It's for Mabel?” I didn't reach out for the toy.

“She's got one,” he didn't look me in the eye. “I saw her walking around with it a little while ago. I thought that you'd like it anyway.”

“Dipper,” I accepted the pig, handed back Franky the bear. I hugged it, feeling the beans squish down inside it. “That's so nice. Waddles the Second!”

“I'm glad you like him.” he cleared his throat awkwardly and sharply walked away. I had to trot to keep up with him. Without speaking, we each got a drink and then climbed onto the Ferris Wheel together.

The heat of the day blazed. I squinted through the haze down at the people below us. Waddles the Second squished between us. We were paused at the top for a moment. I saw Dipper's hand there, cool and alone. I reached for him, my fingers twisted around his. He smiled then, squeezed and opened his mouth. I inhaled sharply, waiting to hear what he'd say.

Screams suddenly filled the air. I dropped my cup of soda as I twisted in my seat, searching for the cause of the commotion. Green monsters, small ones, were climbing all over. They were clinging to legs, climbing up booths. There were even a few headed up the Ferris Wheel. 

“What are these?” I shouted, flicking one away from our seat.

“Gremlins. Wood gremlins. So they're not venomous, at least.” Dipper called back, flicking a few away.

“Oh great, that makes me feel a lot better.” I cringed away from one, having spotted his wet, yellow teeth. Sharp looking ones too. “Why aren't we going down?”

I looked down to see the attendant running away from the Ferris Wheel, screaming. His arms held up over his head. I almost screaming myself. Before I could even ask how we'd get out, I heard a loud creak and felt a shake. Our little cart on the Ferris Wheel was starting to droop. Several of the gremlins were gnawing on various parts.

“Dipper!”

“Okay, this is going well.” he swallowed hard. The cart dropped a few more inches. This was beginning to get precarious. 

“Dipper!” another voice shouted. We craned our necks downward and saw Mabel standing with Stan and Ford. “Hold on!”

“Not going anywhere.” I mumbled. My side of the cart came loose then, throwing me towards the side. I shrieked, clutching the belt. Waddles the Second and Franky went tumbling down. “Maybe I am.”

“Just hang on.” Dipper clutched my hand then.

“Let her go, Dipper!” Ford yelled up to us. “We'll catch her.” 

The belt had been chewed threw, the cart creaked again. Dipper clutched on to the Wheel with one hand, and me with the other. I felt the cart begin to slide away from my body. I looked up at Dipper, afraid of vertigo. He smiled then, and I felt calmness spreading through me.

“I asked you awhile ago if you could trust me.”

“Yes,” I swallowed hard. “And I still do. I just don't trust the ground being soft enough not to hurt.”

“Close your eyes, Rainy.” he squeezed my fingers. 

“I'm scared.” I whispered.

“It'll be okay.”

I closed my eyes. He gave me one more squeeze and let go. Air rushed around my body. I didn't even have time to shout. My pulse whooshed in my ears. I felt something like calm. And before I could think too hard, I was caught in a pair of arms.

I whimpered then, feeling tears stinging my eyes. My feet were carefully set on the ground, and one pair of arms kept locked around me. The other left. Ford, I was sure. He had somewhere to go, he had work to do. Had to get rid of the monsters. 

“It's okay, Rain. Don't cry. It was scary, but you're safe.” a rough voice in my ear, a hand patting my back. “It's okay, Dipper's coming down. You're okay, you're okay. Dipper's gonna walk you home.”

Dipper climbed down the precarious height. He dropped down safely a few feet. He scrambled up and hurried to me, hugging me tightly. He ran his hand down my braid. Mabel came then, and he broke our hug and they hugged tightly.

“I was so scared, Dipper.” I heard her say. “I thought you'd fall.”

“We're fine. She's fine. I'm fine, Mabes. Don't worry.” 

“Are you all right, Rain?” she wiped at her eyes. I wiped at mine and gave a shaky smile. “Dipper, take your girl home. Oh! Wait!” she stopped and reached behind her. She handed me a large stuffed pig. “I saw yours fall.”

“Mabel, he's yours.”

“I have a real one.” she grinned. “Go home and take a bath, relax.” she flapped a hand and hurried off to help Ford.

“You don't have to walk me home.” I told Dipper. “I—I can find the way.” 

“No way, I'm walking you.” he jerked his head. “Let's go, I'm gonna need to help Ford.” I nodded and we headed home, though I felt shaky and dazed. We neared my house, and before we could even turn up the walk to head for the door, it burst open. Mom stood there, staring at me for a moment. She flew down the steps and wrapped her arms around me.

“Rainy! Rainy, you're all right, I was so afraid. The news was there to show the pig judging and they caught everything. I saw you dangling, I saw you falling.” I was crushing into her neck. She pushed me away from her and cupped my chin in her hand.  
“Thank God.” she swallowed hard. She then turned to Dipper. “You let her go.”

“No, Mrs. Day. That's not really--.”

“You let my baby fall.” she pointed her finger at him. “You and your family were the ones who started all that nonsense last year.”

“Mrs. Day,” Dipper tried again. “It's a lot more complicated than that.”

“Thank you for bringing Rainy Ann home.” she said stiffly. She walked me back into the house, her arm tight around my shoulder.

****

“It's not his fault!” I yelled across the living room at my mother.

“I'm sure he didn't intend for you to get hurt.” Mom shook her head. “But bad things happen around that kid. And I don't want you getting involved.”

“I'm already involved.”

“And that's what frightens me.” she stood up from the couch. Dad stood by the chair. He ran his hand through his hair, making it stand up. “I am not going to have you get hurt.”

“I could get hurt doing anything.”

“I realize that. I'm not going to make it worse for you.”

“Can we all just sit down and think about this later?” Dad looked exhausted. When he'd rushed home, he'd put his hands on my shoulders. He looked me up and down and then pulled me close to his chest. I was reminded of when we were small, and he'd carry us to bed, one in each arm. It was only me now, wrapped tightly by him.

Dad kissed the side of my head. He inhaled deeply, exhaled. I noticed then that he was shaking. But he said nothing more about it. It wasn't until after dinner when we were sitting in the living room Mom told me I'd need to go and quit my job, and that I was never allowed to see Dipper again.

“I really like him.” I stopped yelling and looked at Dad. Dad looked at Mom wearily.

“I can't let your grief and fear dictate our lives. We're not going to stunt Rainy because you're scared.” he swallowed and looked at me. “And I can't let you go against your mother. You're still a child, and she's allowed to tell you that you can't see someone.”

“He's not--.” I stopped and looked at Waddles the Second, still sitting by the door where I had dropped him. “I wish I could make you understand.”

“I understand.” Mom crossed her arms. “I understand those butterflies, and I understand summer romances. I know what it's like to be fourteen. But you don't know what it's like to be a parent.”

She had me there. I went to the door and picked up the toy, hugged it. I looked at Dad, unable to stop the quivering of my lip. Mom just sipped at her tea. I had thought she'd look smug. Instead, she just looked sad, wrapped in her afghan. Like she really didn't want to be saying these things to me. 

“I am not quitting. I need that job.” I set my chin. “And I'm gonna see Dipper.”

“You're grounded.” she put down her mug. “Go to your room, Rainy Ann.”

I turned and ran up the steps. A few minutes later, the door cracked open. Dad sat on my bed, where I was cross legged, holding Waddles. He looked at me for a moment.

“Your Mom is struggling with some things, Rain.” he looked at his hands. “It's hard enough to watch your kid grow up. But she's scared.”

“I can't let that ruin my life.”

“No,” he agreed. “And if there was something really wrong with Dipper, then I'd agree with her. Right now, I don't. But I can't get her to change her mind, and Rainy... I'm tired of fighting with Mom.”

“Dad,” I looked at him finally. I noticed the gray starting to streak through his hair. I looked at the dark marks under his eyes. His eyes usually held a twinkle and a joke. But lately they had just looked dull and sad.   
“I'm so sorry, Dad.”

“It's not your fault,” he leaned to kiss my forehead. “You're still allowed to be fourteen, babe. You know I love you, don't you?” I nodded.  
“Mom does too. Don't forget that.” he stood up. “But please don't rock the boat right now?” 

I nodded again. He blew me a kiss and walked out. I took out my phone they'd given me. A lovely one, brand new, instead of the old flip phone of Mom's I'd been using just for emergencies before. I shot off a text.

[Rainy] Mom says I have to stop seeing you. Not that I was seeing you. She said we can't hang.

[Dipper] ? Why would she say that?

[Rainy] Says you're dangerous. Spooky. Paranormal. Basically a Scooby Doo villain.

[Dipper] Do you still wanna hang?

[Rainy] Yes.

I typed it without even thinking about it. 

I heard Mom and Dad go to bed. I sat still, knowing I should change into pajamas. Should brush my teeth and comb my hair, lay down. See if I could slip away to work in the morning. In a few minutes, I heard tiny taps at my window. I walked over and saw Dipper standing here.

“What are you doing?” I hissed as I opened the window.

“You said you wanted to hang.”

“I didn't mean---.” I stopped and shrugged.

“Come down.”

“I can't. Dad set the door alarm.” Waking my parents wasn't a real problem. Mom had been taking sleeping pills since Stormy died. Dad was always a heavy sleeper. I could hear him snoring already.

“Jump,” he held his arms open. If I stepped onto the rose trellis, it would support me just long enough to climb down a little and jump down. I slipped my phone into my pocket, grabbed my purse and wriggled into a pair of sneakers.

I climbed out. The trellis pulled slightly, and I picked my way down. I glanced down at Dipper and jumped down gracelessly. We landed in a heap, choking back our giggles. 

“Where are we going?” I stood up and helped him stand. He just smiled at me.

“You tell me.”

“I think I know a place.”


	10. Your Past Makes You So Strong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper and Rain take a stroll.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The quote is from Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, one of my all time favorite books. If you haven't read it, you should!   
> I'm sorry this chapter has been so long in coming. Hope you enjoy!

We walked through the warm stillness of Gravity Falls. My hand reached for Dipper's, and we crept through the streets, illuminated sometimes by the street lights, other times slipping into darkness. Neither of us spoke, our summer sneakers crunching through the gravel as we crossed the road, padding through grass clippings. 

“What are we doing here?” Dipper asked as we stopped in front of the graveyard. I just smiled and pulled him towards a fresher, prettier part of the graveyard. It was true that lots of the graves were old, with creepy chipped headstones that you couldn't read anymore. But the newer side had nice paths, and pretty shiny headstones. 

Most of the headstones had a date for the end of last summer. I walked to one that I knew too well. Sparkly pink, it laid horizontal to the ground, instead of rising like a broken tooth. I dropped down onto the grass and patted the space next to me.

“I'm glad the grass has finally grown.” I murmured. “I really hated when it was just the raw dirt. Like rubbing salt into my wounds.” Dipper came to sit down next to me. I rubbed my fingers across the engraving. 

“Stormy Lynn Day.” Dipper read out loud. “Your parents put up a headstone?” 

“Yeah. We had a funeral and everything. Mom's therapist thought that it would help us let go or something.” I snorted. 

“Your parents really feel like she's dead.”

“They do,” I nodded. “But anyway, it's a nice place to come be quiet for awhile, I think.” I smiled and leaned back, putting my hands down and staring up at the sky. One good thing about living in a small town was the ability to see all the stars.   
“I guess I'm lucky. Look at the inscription.”

“O Time, Great Healer, Pass Over Me And Let Me Forget.” Dipper froze. I saw the confusion crossing his eyes.

“It was her favorite book. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.” 

“Oh,” he watched me for a minute. “Do you miss her? I know that's a stupid question, how could you not miss her? I just...” he trailed off. 

“Before I started working at the Shack, I missed her more, I think. I missed her the way you have a toothache. You know, you avoid certain foods, you do everything not to make it worse. But then you bite down wrong and it's like getting stabbed in the jaw.” I plucked a few pieces of grass and twisted them together.  
“Now I don't even know how to describe how I miss her. One minute, I wish I could just forget that I ever knew her at all. The next minute, I hate myself for thinking that. How could I ever just be okay without her?”

Dipper didn't say much for a few minutes. He stretched out on the cool grass where the dew was starting to lay. I lay next to him, curled on my side. I didn't want to look up at the sky anymore. I didn't want to see those twinkling points of light and realize that most of them were probably already dead. I studied Dipper's profile and wondered how it compared to Mabel's.

“You know, Rain, I don't think I could handle it as well as you have. If something like that happened to Mabel. I would fall apart. I don't think I'd be able to just pick up and carry on.”

“But it's because she's not dead.” I shook my head. “Please, Dipper. Don't start talking like them. You have to believe there's a chance that she could be alive too, right?” he hesitated.

“Rainy, I don't want to give you false hope.” he turned to look at me. “There's only one person who knows Bill's mind the way I do. And I have to tell you that Bill usually shows no mercy. Unless there's something in it for him, not unless he can make something a tool.”

“Is there a chance that Storm was a tool?” my heart was frozen in my chest. I didn't want to hear Dipper say no. He was the last person I believed had any faith in me.

“There could be. I don't know.” he swallowed hard. “We would have to ask Bill himself.” 

“Isn't there a way to do that?”

“Not one that I think is worth it.” he reached out and touched my prism, held it out a bit so we could watch the rainbows against our hands. “I would hate to think of what could happen to you. I don't want anything bad to happen to you, Rainy. I knew that when the Ferris Wheel was starting to fall.”

“Isn't there anything that we can do to even find out if she's dead?”

“I'll talk to Uncle Ford. Okay, Rainy? I'll talk to him and we'll see what we can find out.”

I threw myself at him then. I wrapped my arms around him tight, pressed a kiss to his cheek. He laughed and hugged me back, rolling us over. We laughed, and though I realize there is some that call that disrespect to the dead, I can't disagree more. We weren't there for the perversity of the act, for the thrill of it. We were there to mourn and to reflect, and sometimes there can be joy after the mourning. 

I like to think so, anyway.

We pulled ourselves up and wiped the grass from our clothes. We wound our way through the cemetery. Dipper pointed out a few things, a few headstones. Told me some stories about last summer, and the times that the dead walked. 

The sky went to the predawn grayness, and we finally headed towards the entrance. We walked back down the streets. The shops were opening, and the bakery smelled of brewing coffee and fresh pastries. People were beginning to go outside to collect their papers.

Outside my window, we paused to look at each other. 

“When will I see you again?”

“Depends on my Mom.” I shrugged. “Not too long. Dad said he'd talk to her.”

Dipper boosted me up the trellis, which creaked as I scampered up and climbed in. I waved and he waved back, heading back out of the yard. I smiled as I turned. I nearly screamed when I saw Dad sitting on my bed.

“Never. Again.” he said in a low voice pointing at me. I bit my lip and nodded. He stood and put his hands on my shoulders. I could tell he wasn't sure if he wanted to shake me or hug me. Instead, he just stared into my eyes until I got uncomfortable and looked away.   
“I realize that none of this is fair to you, Rain. Your sister died, your Mom went off the deep end, and I'm just trying to hold it together. I realize you're suffering. I realize this is all normal teenage stuff. But please, sweetheart, I am begging you. Please. Do not do this to me.”

“Okay, Dad,” I murmured. He bent and kissed my forehead.

“I'll talk to Mom soon. Get those clothes in the hamper so she won't wonder about them. And get some sleep, I'll call you into the Shack.” 

When he left, I stripped off my grass stained clothes. I climbed into a long t shirt and laid in my bed. My body ached with exhaustion. The adrenaline of the festival had worn off. Walking around all night sure had made me feel tired. But my body still sang with electricity. Not only did Dipper hold my hand, but I was pretty sure he meant to help me find Stormy. 

In one hand, I clutched the prism around my neck. With a smile, I dozed to sleep.


	11. She Used to Be Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rainy and her Mom talk about a few things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to take a break because I had nightmares about Bill Cipher.

We sat at dinner later that night. Mom had been quiet most of the day, and so had I. I wanted to nag her, wanted to whine and plead about seeing Dipper again. I knew that would have been the more normal thing to do. I should have been racing up the stairs to my room and slamming the door, doing angry texts.

Instead, I just poured my cereal and ate it quietly while reading a comic book. I stayed in the living room most of the day, pairing socks and watching Bugs Bunny reruns. Mom kept walking through the room, stopping to look at me for a moment, and then walking back out. 

I picked at my pot roast, eating a few bites of the vegetables now and then. Dad chatted a bit about work, about how they'd sold a large order. I was still, after fourteen years, unsure about what my Dad did. Sometimes I thought he just drove to an office every day with other dads to watch football and not be home with their wives and kids. There were times I had to say that maybe I didn't blame him.

“Rainy, your father has spoken to me.” Mom served herself more carrots. “And I apparently owe you an apology.” I put down my fork to listen.  
“I was wrong to bar you from seeing Dipper,” she looked down at her napkin. “Nothing that happened last year was his fault. Nothing that happened the other day at the festival   
was his fault.” her eyes locked with mine.

“Mom...” I trailed off, unsure what to say.

“I shouldn't hold a child responsible for things that like. For making me happy, or for what I've lost.” she looked away and ate her carrots. I knew the conversation was over, and Dad put his hand on mine. I picked at my dinner, put away the leftovers, cleared the table. My usual chores.

Later that evening, I saw Mom sitting on our back porch. She sat on the steps, an afghan draped around her shoulders. I sat beside her, watching the sun begin to set. Reluctantly, as it always did in summer time. The long fingers stretching up high, the sky stained pink and lavender. The clouds tinted orange. 

“I know that I put a lot on you, Rain. I know I make you pay for a lot of things that happened last year.” she sighed heavily. “If you hadn't dropped Stormy's hand. If you had both fallen. If you had turned around faster. If we'd looked harder for her.” she cupped my face.

“Are you angry with me?”

“No,” she whispered. “I'm angry at myself. My job was to keep both of you safe and I failed to do that. It was just nice to blame you, or Dipper.” her thumb stroked my cheek.  
“I do love you, Rainy Ann. I love you so much I can barely take it. And now that I've lost Storm, I just... It's hard. It's hard because I buried a child, and I don't want to do it again. I don't think I could stand to bury another child, my love.” she smiled wanly.

“I know that, Mom.”

“I used to think that no one could know Stormy as well as me. I carried her inside me. Her heart beat was inside of mine. But,” she laughed gently. “You are her twin. You are half of her. Your hearts were the same, weren't they?”

“Yes,” I whispered.

“I forget sometimes that your suffering is the same as mine. Worse, maybe.” she looked up at the dimming sky. 

I hugged her tightly, then. She hugged me back, kissed the side of my head. Then, I stood up and walked inside, leaving her alone with her thoughts, and her pain.

I looked at my phone, feeling guilty. I wanted to text Dipper that night. I wanted to tell him that I'd see him at work tomorrow. I wanted to tell him goodnight, and I wanted to think if he was going blush. If he was happy. I wanted to ask if he had thought of me at all during the day, after our time together in the cemetery.

Instead, I laid on bed, my hand on my prism. There was a raw ache inside of me. It was almost like the letdown from opening Christmas presents, when the anticipation is gone, and you're left with what you did or did not get. 

Maybe I got to be friends with Dipper.

But I didn't get Stormy.


	12. Am I The Only One Who Finds No Peace?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Pines take Rain to the pool. Pacifica is there. What does this mean for Rainy and Dipper? And what's in that book he's reading?

The heat laid over us. It was hard to inhale, and dust clung to us from our sweat. Mabel flopped on the floor, moaning on occasion. Dipper kept taking his hat off to wipe his brow. I rested my cheek on my palm, my elbow on the counter.

No customers were coming in. The second hand dragged on the clock. Mabel rolled over, staring at the ceiling.

“Curse the sun god,” she mumbled.

“Sun is important, Mabel. Remember that.” Ford strolled through the Shack, wearing long sleeves and looking calm and cool. I flashed him a glare, brushing strands of my hair out of my eyes.

“I can't take it!” she whined. “I'm going to die, like the flower that I am.”

“You're right,” Stan shuffled in then, still in his wife beater and slippers. He leaned against the counter. “No one is gonna come around in this heat. What do you say we shut it down and head on to the pool?”

“The pool?” Mabel perked right up. “That sounds amazing!” she scampered upstairs. Dipper glanced at me, shrugged, and headed up to follow his sister. I wiped my face and gave a tired grin.

“I'll be in tomorrow for my shift then.”

“You're comin' too. Mabel has extra suits.” he waved us upstairs. “Now, hurry it up. Stanmobile leaves in fifteen minutes.”

“Stanmobile?” I muttered as I hurried after Mabel up to the attic. She was head first in a chest of drawers, rummaging around. 

“That's what Grunkle Stan calls his station wagon.”

“The rust bucket in the driveway?” I blinked a few times. She grinned, braces gleaming in the hot morning sun, and handed me a purple sparkly bikini. I shook my head, but she shoved it insistently in my hands.

“Come on, I only ever see you in those dark colors. It'd be nice to see you in something fun for once.”

“I don't know,” I hesitated. “Don't you have anything in a one piece?” I mumbled.

“Oh, please?” she wheedled. “You'll look gorgeous in this color.”

“Fine,” I groaned. The wide smile she gave me made it worth it. She tossed me another hair elastic and began to strip. I shyly skimmed out of my own clothes and shimmied into the bikini.

My skin was usually toasted up a nice tan this time in the summer. Stormy and I spent hours at the pool, splashing around, laying on a chair, sharing foot long hot dogs. I held out my hands and contemplated them. This year I looked pale, I could have glowed in the dark. I swallowed hard and turned to Mabel, forcing a smile.

“Come on, come on,” she was hopping up and down. I reached for my sneakers, and she stopped me with a pair of sparkly flip flops and some matching sun glasses. I could only laugh faintly and comply with her wishes. 

Mabel brought that out in people, I noticed. We clomped downstairs to see Dipper holding towels. We piled in the station wagon, and I felt a familiar rising in my chest. I loved the first pool trip of summer. I loved the pool, I loved swimming. 

And I found I loved sitting in the wagon, jostling around with the shitty brakes, going too fast over bumps. Mabel and Dipper were bantering, and I could only listen and smile. Stan caught my eye in the mirror. When we stopped, his niece and nephew came tumbling out, hurrying towards the water. Stan stopped me.

“It's really nice to see you happy like this, Rainy.” he put a hand on my shoulder and squeezed. “I'm really glad you came into the Shack that day. All soaking wet, needing us.” I just shrugged, feeling my cheeks grow warm.  
“I'm glad that you and Dipper have been close. He gets a little weird around Ford and you—you've kept him normal, know what I'm sayin'?”

“Not really.” I mumbled.

He just shook his head, and I headed for the water, kicking off my flip flops in one of the chairs the twins had claimed. I dove right in, tagging Mabel on the shoulder. Candy and Grenda were there, waved enthusiastically at me.

We spent a happy hour swimming, running races, trailing after one another in the water. Dipper sat on the edge for awhile, reading a heavy book. I swam up to him, leaned on the edge, my elbows folded by his knees.

“Hey,”

“Hey Rain,” he barely glanced up.

“What'cha readin'?”

“Research.” he finally set it aside and looked down at me. I saw something like fondness in his face as he looked at me.  
“Your cheeks are turning pink.”

“Sun,” I shrugged. “You gonna get in with me or not?”

He slipped into the water and splashed me hard. I shrieked with laughter, splashing him back. He swam around behind me and gave me a playful shove. I swam away, Dipper hot on my heels. We finally stopped, breathing hard. 

“Let's have a race.” I said softly.

“What's the prize?”

“A...” I swallowed. “A kiss.”

“A kiss,” he repeated, somewhat surprised. I was shocked at my own boldness. But something about the way his hair was curling in the water, the heat down on us, the way I could feel my skin peeling on my nose.  
“What kind of kiss?”

“My first one?”

We stood in the water for a moment, Dipper looking thoughtful, my heart in my mouth. He nodded, and we asked Stan to be judge. He lowered his sunglasses and waited for us to brace ourselves against the back wall. On his mark, we were off.

I slid through the water. I wouldn't let myself look next to me, wouldn't let myself seek out Dipper. I tried to keep breathing, until my hands reached the rope that separated the shallow end from the deep end. I stopped, panting, looking towards Stan.

“Looks like Dipper won this one.” he went back to his paper. “Better luck next time, Rain.”

“Oh well,” I gave a quivery smile. Dipper wiped the water out of his eyes and leaned towards me. I exhaled sharply, leaning in to meet him halfway.

“Dipper!” a sharp voice cut through the air, making us leap apart. Carefully styled blond hair hovered behind us. Pacifica Northwest lowered her sunglasses and gave a sly smile. “I was hoping I'd find you here. I didn't want to have to trek all the way out to the dusty Shack.” she shuddered.

“P-Pacifica.” he stammered. “Hi?”

“I was wondering if we could talk.” she eyeballed me. “Alone, you know? I have something very important to talk to you about.”

“I'll—I'll go and find Mabel.” I turned and swam towards the girls, not wanting to look behind me again.

I listened to Mabel discussing a boy called Mermando, talking about how much she'd been looking forward to his letters. I could only keep half an ear in the conversation, but   
I did trail behind them to the snack bar. I bought a hot dog and ate it in the shade, towel wrapped around my shoulders.

Pacifica kept speaking to Dipper. She tucked her hair behind her ears, kept brushing her fingers against his shoulder. He smiled weakly, kept glancing over at me. I felt my spine straighten, my chin get held tight.

I wouldn't let her get to me. And why should I care if Dipper talked to her at all?

***

We piled back into the Stanmobile, tired and pleased from the sun. I leaned against the window, watching the houses of Gravity Falls pass us by. I hadn't spoke to Dipper again, but Mabel spoke enough for the both of us. She babbled on, joking with Stan. Dipper kept glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.

“Why don't you stay with us tonight, Rain?” he finally spoke. I startled and stammered.

“I don't know.”

“Sure, we'll order a pizza. Watch Duck Detective. It'll be fun.” Stan chimed in. I looked at Mabel, smiling and nodding. I reached for my phone and texted my Mom, who texted afterwards that it was fine with her.

And with that, I was on my way to stay with the Pines family.

We ate and laughed, piled in front of the TV. Dipper was still reading his book, glancing up at the screen once in awhile. Mabel went to fetch pillows and blankets not long after, and we nested on the floor. Stan drifted away, and Ford wandered through. I noticed dipper hiding the book.

Mabel fell asleep early, worn from the heat and the exercise. I leaned against the big chair, not really watching the television. Dipper finally wormed him way close to me.

“You know that I would have kissed you anyway.”

“You didn't.” I picked at the big t shirt I had borrowed to wear to bed. My hair was still damp from my shower. Mabel had combed it out for me, chattering about all the things she wanted to do with it in the morning.

“No,” he looked embarrassed. “But I would have. I wanted to kiss you.”

“Until Pacifica came over.” I looked down at my toes.

“Don't worry about Pacifica.” he waved her off. “Besides, I've spent the whole day reading this, I borrowed it from Uncle Ford.” he showed me the book. “Rainy, I'm looking for a way to get Bill Cipher back.”


	13. You Smile Like An Angel, Falling From Grace

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dipper and Rain contemplate the ramifications of bringing back Bill.

“Bring him back?” I repeated. I sat on my knees next to Dipper, looking at the cramped writing on the pages in his book.  
“Do you think we can?”

“I think so,” he paused, running his finger down the page. “It's a heavy resurrection. But it is doable.” 

“Is it dangerous?”

“Nothing about this is safe.” he snorted. “It's all dangerous, Rain.”

“But it's a price I'm willing to pay.” I said darkly. Dipper put the book aside and turned to look at me.

“I'd still think long and hard about it, Rain.” he looked grim “Bill never gives without taking. If Storm is even alive...”

“Don't,” I turned my head away. We were silent for a few moments. Mabel's soft snores were the only thing in the stillness of the summer evening. I leaned against Dipper, feeling exhaust spreading through my body.  
“I'm too tired to think about it right now.”

“All right,” he looked at me and leaned back against the chair. We didn't speak for a few moments, and I could feel him falling asleep. When I was sure he was out, I slowly plucked the book from his hands. I crept outside.

The air was thick, the mosquitoes barely bothered to bite. I sat down firmly on the porch, where a dim light shone. I could have switched on the porch light, but I was afraid of disturbing someone. I squinted at the print, trying to make sense of what we'd even have to do.

We? I meant me. I knew that this would be dangerous. I knew there would be a price to be paid. Someone like Bill Cipher never did anything for free. I would be the only one who could pay for this. It was my sister, after all. I wouldn't have Dipper being hurt for what might happen for me. I swallowed and continued to scan the pages.

“Rainy?” Ford's voice crackled. I jumped, the book almost sliding off my lap. I fumbled and managed to keep a grip on it.   
“What are you doing out here all alone?”

I looked at him for a moment, and then down at the porch. Shame made my cheeks burn, though I hoped it would be hidden under my sunburn. I didn't meet his eye as I stood up and handed him the book. Ford's eyes widened at the title.

“Where did you get this?”

“I... Um...” I rubbed my elbow and shrugged helplessly. I didn't want to lie to a boss, but I couldn't stand to get Dipper in trouble.

“Do you have any idea what you're messing with here?” he shook the book at me. “Rainy, you cannot do this.”

“I just wanted to see what it would take.”

“How did you even find this book? It was hidden in my lab. I didn't want anyone, especially you, getting a hold of it.”

“Especially me?” I squeaked.

“I know that you would do anything you could to get Stormy back.” he rubbed his eyes. “Maybe having you here was a mistake. Maybe it's just too much temptation. Maybe Stan was wrong.” he looked disappointed.

“You'd fire me for one mistake?”

“I'd fire you because I care about you, and I want to keep you safe. And if I don't think you can be safe here, I can't have you here. I won't have that on my soul, Rain. I wouldn't want to tell your parents that they'd lost both their children to this monster.”

“It wasn't her fault.” another voice cut through the heat. We turned to see Dipper, who had the grace to look ashamed but still look at Ford's face.  
“I found the book, Uncle Ford.”

“Dipper, why did you--?” he looked between us. Something between fondness and irritation crossed his face. “I don't even have to ask.” he crossed his arms and   
contemplated us for a moment.  
“I am making this clear right now. You two must promise me to never, ever, ever seek out anything about Bill Cipher ever again.”

“But,” I began.

“Ever.” he repeated firmly. “This is what would undo the town and destroy the world. You two don't realize how lucky we were to survive the last time he came through here. It was almost the end of everything.”

“Shouldn't we study to keep ourselves safe if he does return?” Dipper was trying another tactic.

“I need you to let the adults worry about that.”

“I think I've proven myself plenty.” Dipper pulled himself up straighter. I said nothing, but felt a shiver down my spine.

“I'll put it to you two this way.” Ford planted his feet, keeping us both in his gaze. I couldn't meet his eye, steady and serious. Instead, I stared at his fingers clutching the book.  
“If I cannot trust the two of you to not get into trouble, you will not be allowed to see each other. I will either release Rainy from her employment here at the Shack, or I will send Dipper home.”

“No!” I cried out, finally meeting his eye.

“Uncle Ford, you can't do that!” Dipper said at the same time. We froze there, barely breathing.

“I can do it, and I will do that.” he softened a bit. “I want both of you to be safe. You're my family.” I waited for him to add to that, to say that I was a nice girl, a good employee. Instead, it hung there. That he was including me in the name of family.  
“I need you both to promise me that you'll stay out of the Bill Cipher stuff. Or you will not be able to see one another again. Am I clear?”

“Yes sir,” I whispered. 

“I promise.” Dipper seemed to deflate. He looked at me and bit his lower lip.

“I promise.” I repeated, although it tasted sour on the back of my tongue.

I knew it wasn't over for me. 

***

Ford's threat hung over my head, and I didn't sleep much that night. Dipper laid on one side of Mabel, and I lay on the other. We stared at each other over her head. His eyes kept drifting shut and then snapping back open.

“Go to sleep.” I whispered.

“I don't want to leave you awake.”

“I'll be fine. Not my first sleepless night.” I shrugged.

“Why didn't you tell Uncle Ford right away that you didn't take the book?”

“Because I did take it from you while you were sleeping.” I shrugged. “And I am sorry, Dipper.”

“It's okay. I think I would have done the same.” he shifted, uncomfortable. “I did the same, when you really think about it.”

He was asleep by the time the light turned gray with the coming dawn. I sat up and crept to the bathroom to change and sweep down the porch, ready for another day at the Shack. As I walked into the kitchen, I saw Ford sitting there with the book.

“Mr. Pines,” I hovered in the doorway. “I owe you another apology. Dipper only took the book to help me.”

“I wish I could get angry and say you were a bad influence.” his smile told me the truth. “But Dipper has always been like that. He's always been in trouble. It's part of what makes him a great scientist.”

“And me?”

“You're a bright young woman, seeking out the best answer to your questions.” he set down his coffee cup. “But I don't think you're going to find them here. With Dipper, though...” he trailed off.  
“Tell me, Ms. Day. How exactly do you feel about my nephew?”

I knew the heat in my cheeks couldn't be blamed on our pool day now. I shrugged, reaching for the prism around my neck and fiddling with it, holding it just so, to see the rainbow on the wall. Ford watched me for a moment.

“Your nephew... Dipper means a lot to me. I don't know if I can put it into words just yet.” I looked at him. “Isn't that funny? I've never felt that way about anyone else before.”

He just tilted his head to the side and poured me a cup of coffee. I accepted it and drank, staring out the window and watching the sun rising.

It was shaping up to be a beautiful day in Gravity Falls.


	14. Take A Number, If That's What You're Here For

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mabel decides to throw a Summerween party. Pacifica decides to come on through.

“So what are we gonna be for Summerween?” Mabel demanded. I looked up from where I was gluing butterfly wings onto a lizard. It was delicate work, and my eyes were beginning to ache. I set down the tweezers and looked at the twins.

“I hadn't even thought about it.” last summer played in my mind, Stormy and I dressed up and racing through town together, collecting all the candy we could. Gorging ourselves on it later that night, holed up in my room, sticky and sweaty and well pleased.

I didn't think that I'd have another Summerween that would be joyful. Dipper put down his book and handed us each a cold can of Pitt. I rolled mine between my palms.

“Let's not go trick or treating this year.” Dipper looked at me carefully, his head tilted to the side. I didn't look him in the eye.  
“Let's have a party here at the Shack instead. I bet Grunkle Stan would go for it, if we did a cover charge.”

“That's a great idea!” Mabel was practically bouncing on her toes. She grabbed a glitter notebook and began to scribble down some notes, babbling the whole time. I liked listening to Mabel talk, I liked letting her enthusiasm wash over me. I touched the prism that dangled from my neck, thought to myself that the leather cord it hung from was getting worn.

“What are you going to dress as?”

“Oh!” I startled out of my reverie. “I hadn't thought about it. I didn't even think I'd really be getting to go out this year, to be honest with you.”

“Well, that's gonna change. So think about what you wanna be.” she grinned at me, and I couldn't help but grin back. Her joy spread through me, warming me and wrapping me in a blanket of love. I reached out impulsively and threw my arms around her neck.

She hugged me back, smelling like candy and sunshine. I wondered how she didn't overheat in those sweaters she always wore. She hugged me tight around my waist, so tight it almost hurt. I gasped and then giggled. 

When she let me go, I felt something aching inside my chest. It felt like forever since I had felt another girl my own age hug me. It felt like forever since I'd had that pure simple joy of being so excited with a girl, we just had to hug to get it out. 

Boys whooped and cheered. Girls hugged and squealed. And it had been so long since I had done either of those things. When I hugged Dipper, it felt different. It was the best way I had to express my gratitude. There was something electric in the way that I felt when he and I hugged. But hugging Mabel—well, it made me feel grounded.

**

“A party here, huh?” Pacifica leaned across the counter while I finished putting away the new plastic snow globes. I had no idea why anyone would want a globe depicting the Shack, but it wasn't even close to being the strangest item we stocked. I gave her a tight smile and brushed some hair out of my eyes as it escaped from my braid.

“Looks like,” I stepped behind the register. “Is there anything else I can help you find, Pacifica?”

“Like I'd buy any of the tacky crap here.” she scoffed. “I just wanted to tell you that I've seen what's been happening between you and Dipper.”

“What are you talking about?” I murmured, feeling my cheeks heat up. I knew exactly what she was talking about.

“You wanted him to kiss you at the pool. Well, I know you don't exactly know everything that's been going on. But Dipper and I were almost a thing last summer.” she tossed her hair. “He was just so young then, really still a child, you know.”

“Oh,” I said softly, eyeing the door. I was hoping that someone, anyone would walk in and free me from her. Instead, she leaned confidentially over the counter, her eyes locked in on me. Was this how a bird felt when a hawk was circling?

“So you can just turn off any little fantasies you were having. There's no reason he would date you when he could be with me.” she looked me up and down. I wrapped my hand around my prism and turned away.

“If that's all, Pacifica, I have work to get back to.” I said tightly.

“Of course you do,” her voice was syrupy sweet. “I'll just see my way out.” the door opened, and her voice brightened.  
“Dipper! Were your ears burning? We were just talking about you!”

“Oh hey, Pacifica.” he mumbled. He stepped behind the counter with me, bumped me with his hip and picked up a snow globe. “Who ordered this garbage?”

“You know very well who.” I snorted. 

“Dipper,” she tried again. “You know the party here for Summerween?”

“Sure,” he turned to her, seeming to realize that the only way to get rid of her was to placate her. “What about it?”

“I was wondering if there'd be dancing.”

“Probably.” he shrugged. “Mabel is doing most of the planning, and she loves dancing. Soos isn't around to DJ anymore, but I think we'll figure something out.”

“So you'll save a dance for me, right cutie?” she smiled and fluttered her eyelashes. I tried hard not to gag. 

“Uh...” he stammered, looking uncomfortable.

“Great! See you then!” she waved and was out of the Shack in a waft of expensive perfume and squeaky new shoes. I glanced at him, he glanced at me.

“You know there's nothing going on between Pacifica and I, right?”

“I'm not the one you need to tell that.” I wiped my hands on the back of my shorts. He rubbed the back of his neck.  
“I think she liked you last summer.”

“Maybe.” he mumbled, going pink. “But it doesn't matter. I don't like the way she treats other people. I don't like the way she treats my sister. Or you.”

“I don't think you should base the way you feel about someone on the way they treat me.” I sat on my stool and pulled out a magazine, flipping through it idly, not looking him in the eye.  
“Not like I'm your girlfriend or anything.”

“I don't like people who treat other people crappy.”

Oh. So I wasn't his girlfriend. Well. I shouldn't have been surprised. He squirmed for a minute and then cleared his throat. I didn't look up from my magazine, although the antics of my favorite movie stars weren't holding my attention in the slightest.

“Uncle Ford and I were talking. About Bill.”

“Yeah?” that was the best way to get my attention. Dirty pool, I thought to myself. 

“There might be away that we can summon someone from his side.” he swallowed. “And if we can do it right, it won't be Bill Cipher, and if we can keep them in chains, we can ask them if Storm is there.”

“We can?” I almost leapt up from my stool.

“We can try.” he hedged. “Don't get too excited. You know that this is dangerous, and you know that there will be lies here.”

“I know. I'm aware. But it's a chance, isn't it?” 

“Yeah.” he said softly, looking me in the eye. “It's a chance, Rain.” 

***

My costume fitting tight and short. I had to wear black leggings underneath it, but maybe that just added to the affect. The skirt flowed around my thighs, and the peacock butterfly wings stuck out just perfectly from my back. I wore my hair in a curly updo, peacock colored eye shadow whisked over my face.

I'd spent hours in the bathroom, YouTube playing so I could get it just right. I sparkled. I smeared on a layer of pink lip gloss. On point, I thought to myself with a smile. I wriggled into the lace up shoes.

“You look--,” Mom began. Dad held up his hand.

“You look nice.” he finished. Mom sighed and nodded. She caught my chin and turned my face side to side and then smiled. Carefully, she caught one errant curl up with a bobby pin. She gingerly adjusted my wings.

“You look beautiful, darling. Please be careful in those shoes. Have a good time. Call Daddy when you're ready to come home, or call if one of the kids from town is bringing you in. Please.” she added.

“Of course.” I waved my phone in the air as I put it in my small blue purse. I hugged her one more time and skipped out to Daddy's car. 

The Shack was already booming, lights flashing, music playing. Dad ran his hand carefully over my hair and smiled at me.

“Have a good time. Be careful.” he hesitated. “If anyone makes you uncomfortable, you scream your head off until Mr. Pines comes and kicks them out. I mean it, Rainy.” his hand squeezed mine. “Scream as loud as you can.”

“I will, Daddy.” I kissed his cheek and skipped out of the car into the party.

I quickly found Mabel, dressed as a bee. She buzzed playfully, then cooed over my costume. Dipper was there too, wearing a lab coat and a bow tie.

“Bill Nye?”

“Naturally.” he laughed. He looked my costume up and down. I gave a spin and he looked away. I found Candy and Grenda, dressed as a honey pot and a flower, respectively. We all sipped at the super sweet punch, chewing on pieces of candy.

The music slowed down, and I looked over. Ford was manning the DJ stand. I stared for a second and looked at Dipper, who shrugged.

“Soos lent him a book. He said there's nothing you can't learn from a book.”

“He's doing great.” I murmured, putting down my punch cup. “Listen Dipper, do you want to dance?”

“Oh! I uh... I don't dance,” he sipped his drink. “Thanks though. And you shouldn't let that stop you.”

“I shouldn't?” I repeated as he scurried over to his uncle at the DJ table. I sank back into the crowd, desperate to find a seat. I watched Mabel on the dance floor, saw her beckon to me. With a shrug, I slipped out and began dancing.

For awhile, I didn't think about Dipper. A lot of boys my age didn't dance, I mused. They'd learn though. They all learned once they realized how much girls liked to dance. At least this was fun, rocking out and laughing with the girls.

Out of the corner of my eye, the door opened, and she stepped in. Pacifica in a long, gossamer gown. Big white wings, a glittery halo above her head. She stopped, and the lights from outside seemed to shine around her, like she was from some sort of painting. My stomach dropped, although I wasn't too sure why. Leave it to Pacifica to come in so late, I thought to myself. Leave it to Pacifica to make sure that we were all here, make a grand entrance. She just beamed at all of us and surveyed the room with a toss of her curly hair.

I felt gaudy then, She was pure and clean, and I looked like a cartoon character. I shrank back a bit as she floated toward Dipper. She held out her hand and spoke for a few moments. He carefully took her hand, and then they were both dancing. The song was slow. 

“What is he doing?” Mabel hissed. I could only shrug and look at her, wondering if my heartbreak was written on my face.  
“He always said he'd never dance with her.”

“Well, she is beautiful. And popular.” Grenda adjusted her honey pot costume, cocking the lid hat just right on the side of her head.

“And still pretty rich, compared to the rest of us.” Candy added.

“Guys!” Mabel nudged them. “This is maybe not the best time to be singing her praises, if you know what I mean.” 

I caught Dipper's eye. He just shrugged helplessly at me. I shook my head, and turned, ran for the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just really like the thought of Ford being a DJ, you know? Like "When I say 'hey' you say 'ho'!" And everyone just kind of backs away. Also, Bill Nye Dipper is adorable.


End file.
